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Vanessa catches my eye and winks. She's in her element here, creating this sanctuary for the lost and confused. Her walls are covered in her artwork now - scenes of Earth blending seamlessly into alien landscapes, bridging two worlds just like we do.

I lean against the counter, watching Vanessa balance precariously on a stepladder as she hangs glittering hearts from the ceiling. Her tongue pokes out slightly in concentration - a habit I've grown to adore.

"A little to the left," I suggest, fighting back a grin as she shoots me a look.

"If you're such an expert on Earth decorations now, why don't you come up here and do it yourself?"

"And miss this view? Never." My horns catch the light as I tilt my head appreciatively.

She throws a paper cupid at me. "Keep it professional, mister. We've got customers."

"They're all regulars. Half of them were at our mating ceremony."

Vanessa climbs down, surveying her work. The café looks like love exploded in it - hearts, flowers, and twinkling lights everywhere. Last year, she'd rolled her eyes at all this. Now she's humming as she adjusts a bouquet of roses.

"Remember when you first interviewed me about Valentine's Day?" She slides behind the counter, bumping her hip against mine. "All those weird questions about human mating rituals?"

"In my defense, your customs are bizarre. An infant with arrows? Hearts that look nothing like actual cardiac organs?"

"Says the man who proposed by taking me to see a binary star system merge."

"That was romantic! The gravitational forces pulling them together, just like-"

She silences me with a kiss. "You're such a nerd."

"Your nerd," I murmur against her lips.

"Always," she agrees, then pulls back with a playful smile. "Now help me hang these stupid cupids or you're sleeping on the couch."

Hours later, the last customer shuffles out, their tentacles dragging slightly from too much caffeine. I flip the sign to "Closed" while Vanessa counts the register, humming an old Earth song under her breath. The café feels different at night - more intimate, the artificial starlight casting shadows through the hanging hearts.

"You missed one." I point to a stray paper cupid that's fallen behind a plant.

"Leave it. He can keep the Venusian fern company." She taps the screen, frowning. "Did we really go through twelve pounds of coffee today?"

"The Alliance delegation cleaned us out. Apparently, they're taking some back as 'exotic contraband.'"

"Great. More paperwork." She yawns, stretching her arms above her head. The movement makes her dress ride up slightly, and my hands itch to touch her. "Stop staring at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're planning to ravish me on the counter again."

"That was one time." I move behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "And you weren't complaining."

"We had to replace the espresso machine." But she leans back against me, her fingers tracing the ridges on my forearms. "The health inspector almost had a stroke."

"Worth it."

She turns in my arms, rising on her toes. Her lips brush mine, soft and sweet. "Happy Valentine's Day, my alien."

The words send a shiver through me. After everything - the lies, the reveal, the rescue - she's still here, still mine. And I'm completely, irrevocably hers.